Structural Design & the Safety of Your Vehicle

Auto Defect Attorneys Serving Florida Since 1985

Vehicle safety is a significant consideration in terms of liability for
injuries resulting from automobile accidents and when the average consumer
is looking for a new car. Every new passenger vehicle must meet federal
safety standards, but not all cars are equally safe. Crucial differences
still exist. It is possible to find a safer car because some vehicle characteristics
are inherently safer than others, and many automakers offer safety features
beyond the required minimums.

Vehicle Structural Design

The first thing to investigate when identifying a safe vehicle is the structural
design. This means finding out about the strength of the car's safety
cage, which protects the occupants. These cars should also include front
and rear sections designed to crumple in serious crashes, allowing it
to absorb collision forces rather than transfer them to the passengers.

The crumple zones minimize damage to the safety cage-as soon as the safety
cage is compromised, the likelihood of a car accident injury increases.
When designed carefully, crush zones can lengthen the distance and distribution
of force through your vehicle, protecting you and your passengers.

Not all vehicles are equally well designed. Some have crush zones that
are too stiff and / or too short and safety cages that aren't strong
enough. These can contribute to the collapse of the occupant compartment
in serious crashes.

Vehicle Size & Weight

The vehicle's size and weight affects its safety in severe collisions.
In general, larger vehicles are safer than smaller, lighter ones in crash
performance. Relative to their population on the road, small cars have
an occupant fatality rate that is twice as high as larger vehicles.

Size and weight are closely related. Large vehicles are typically heavy,
and small ones are light. But these two characteristics don't influence
"crashworthiness" the same way. Vehicle size (specifically length)
can protect you in both single and two-vehicle collisions because larger
vehicles usually have longer crush zones, which help prevent damage to
the safety cage and lower the crash forces inside it.

Vehicle weight protects you principally in two-vehicle crashes. In a head-on
crash, for example, the heavier vehicle drives the lighter one backwards,
which decreases forces inside the heavy vehicle and increases forces in
the lighter one. All heavy vehicles, even poorly designed ones, offer
this advantage in two-vehicle collisions, but may not offer good protection
in single-vehicle crashes.

Restraint Systems

Seat belts, airbags, and head restraints are all designed to make deceleration
as safe as possible for passengers in a collision. Otherwise, occupants
will suffer a "secondary collision," or impact the inside of
the vehicle. Secondary collisions are the primary cause of injury in car
crashes. Seat belts or lap/shoulder belts allow occupants to decelerate
with the safety cage while crumple zones absorb most of the crash forces,
minimizing secondary collisions.

Airbag Risks

Airbags and lap/shoulder belts together are very effective, but there are
circumstances when inflating airbags have caused serious injuries-even
deaths. The risk occurs if you're on top of, or very close to, an
airbag when it first begins to inflate. Using belts correctly and choosing
a proper seating position can eliminate serious airbag injury risk without
sacrificing the benefits.

Drivers should always use belts and sit with the center of the chest at
least 10 inches away from the steering wheel. Belted drivers potentially
at risk of serious airbag injury are the few sitting very close to the
wheel. Airbag injury risk is lower in vehicles made in 1998 and later
models because automakers have redesigned most of their airbags using
less powerful inflators. Some automakers also have reduced inflation injury
risk with dual deployment thresholds.

Find Out If Your Vehicle Manufacturer Is Liable

If you were seriously injured in a car collision, your vehicle's structural
design may be at fault. Rather than adhering to federal safety standards,
many courts hold manufacturers responsible for using every available technology
to make vehicles safer for consumers. To find out if your vehicle manufacturer
or deal can be held liable for your injuries, contact The Ferraro Law
Firm, P.A.

Since 1985, our firm has relentlessly fought for the injured against some
of the largest and oldest manufacturers in the nation. We prepare cases
thoroughly, gathering evidence and crafting compelling arguments that
get results. That's why our firm has secured
billions for our clients in the last 30 years.

Schedule a free case consultation so we can determine if you have a case.
You'll never get anything less than honest, insightful legal counsel
from our lawyers.
Call (888) 554-2030 today.

Office Location

Washington, D.C. Office

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The information on this website is for general information purposes only.
Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual
case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt
or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.

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